With the political farce A Citizen of the People, NICO AND THE NAVIGATORS have staged a work based on research by the Verfassungsblog team led by Maximilian Steinbeis. The premiere, featuring Fabian Hinrichs in the lead role, took place in 2024 at the Haus der Bundespressekonferenz and was nominated in 2025 for the Theatertreffen and the Friedrich Luft Prize.

The play portrays the rapid rise of a populist minister-president in a German federal state and the resulting threat to democracy. Through a series of press conferences, A Citizen of the People tells the story of the career of a political shooting star. The unilateral actions of this politician challenge the federal government and ultimately force a showdown. In the end, only Article 37 of the German Basic Law remains — the so-called “federal coercion,” which allows for drastic measures and has never been invoked before.

In the politically sensitive election year of 2026, with state elections approaching in several federal states, A Citizen of the People represents far more than a theatrical thought experiment. The play exemplifies how a charismatic seducer attempts to undermine the political system with charm, populism, and intelligence.

Audience discussion following the screening with Nicola Hümpel (director & text | NICO AND THE NAVIGATORS), Maximilian Steinbeis (text | Verfassungsblog), SFB University of Siegen (Lars Koch invited), moderated by Tobi Müller.